Means for forming containers



Oct. 30, 1951 J. GEIER 9 MEANS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1942 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. JAMES GE/EQ.

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Oct. 30, 1951 J. GEIER MEANS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed Dec. 3, 1942' IN VEN TOR JAMES 65/59 62M au m ri l I.

A TT'OQNE Ks Patented Oct. 30, 1951 James Geier, 'lroy, N. Y.; Bertha R. Neeb executrix of estate of James Geier, deceased, assignor to .Geier .& Bluhm, Inc., Troy, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Original application December 3, 1942, Serial No.

' 467,697. Divided and t 1945, Serial No. 589,024

This invention relates to machines for shaping glass containers. The invention is particularly concerned with themanufacture of spiritrlevels of the circular type which are used ona large variety of instruments and machines, for example in the war industry and the like.

,An object of :the present invention is the provision .of means tor the mass productionlof circular levels,the containers of which are uniform size. andishape.

Another object is to simplify and make less expensive the manufacture of circular levels and to produce levels the containers .of which :have strong, uniformly annealed walls.

Other objects of the present invention will become .apparentin the course of the following specification.

" The object of the present invention :may be realized by using glass cupsof regularform, whicnhave I passages andflb providing projecting t ps in such cups ,,preferably :by heating them and then employing a plunger for the formation of the tips. Then the cups are cooled and thereafter the ends of the tips are ground ofi so that passages are provided through which the cups may be filled. Finally, the open ends of the tips are sealed again by fusion. g

The .mass production of such cups may belattained by the use of a machine having a number of cup-carrying supports which are moved stepwise to subject the cups to a preliminary heating, to provide the tipsin the cups and t anneal the cups.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example only, preferred :embodimentsof the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a machine, with some parts broken 01f or shown in section;

Figure 2 shows the machine in side elevation, partly in section; and

Figure 3 is a .sectional View along 3-3 of Figure 2, but on an enlargedscale.

The machine shown in the drawings may be used in mass production for the purpose of forming the tips 28 in the cups IS.

The machine comprises a supporting .disc 40 mounted upon a vertical .shaft 4,! which is .firmly ports 43 inner ends of which are attached to the disc bybolts 44. Each of the supports 43 .includes an arm and a substantially rectangular end portion 46 provided with circularly disposed heat "transmitting ventilating openings 4T. The

upper surface of the supportportion 46 has a round recess 48 enclosing a deeper recess 49 which his application April 18,

serves as aseat for the refractory disc '23. An opening is situatedbelow the disc 23.

The disc 23 which has the guidingopening '24, carries an annular cover 5| serving as a seat for the cup l5. 7

It is apparent that all the supports 43 are of the same construction and that the disc .40 may bexprovided with any suitable number of sup ports.43.

The machine is driven by a motor which is not shown in the drawings and which drives anendless belt-52 passing rovera pulley.5.3. The pulley 53 is keyed .upon a horizontal shaft :Elwhich :is operatively connected with a vertical shaft by means of a gear reduction unitz56. An arm .51 having a reduced end v5B is mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 55 and rotates along with the shaft.

The stepwise turning movement of the shaft 41 carrying the disc All is accomplished by the use of radial fins or platesu59 which are engaged one after the other .by the end. 58 of the rotating arm 51 and which are carried by a disc 60. The disc is integral with a hub 6| which is firmly mounted upon theshaft 4 I.

It is apparent that the end :58 of the armi] will strike one of the fins .59 in the .course ofzthe rotary movement of the arm .51 and will turn the shaft 4| until the arm 51 is .moved out of engagement with the fin. Then the arm .5] will strike the next fin, and so forth. The disc .40 is provided with uniformly disposed notches l;0.6. a resilient rod 10! carried .by .a bracket 1.08.15 adapted to engage each of these notches in turn. Due to this arrangement :and to the :properselection of :the fins 59 and the arm 51, a cup l5 will bemoved :into the position occupied-by the preceding cup inthe course of each step .of thestepwise movement.

The cups l5 are subjected to thefirst preheating operation at the location :2! by means of a gas burner 1.62 of the usual type which isiconnect ed by aypipe 63 to "a source of gas not shown in the drawings.

A cupl5 subjected to the first preheating at the location .21 is moved by the next step of the stepwise movement :to :the location '22 wherein the .cup is subjected to the second preheatingfby a .gas burner .64 supplied with .ga through a pipe 65. Ihe two burners 62 and Mere immovably mounted upon a suitable support .(not,

shown).

The heatsupplied by the burners 62 and -54.is preserved and gradually transmitted to the cups through the use of a curved cover '66 extending over several cups-and over the -locations 21 and E2. The cover 66 is supported in the illustrated position by any suitable means .(not shown) One end of the cover 166 is situated close to thelocation 151 wherein treated cups are removed and fresh cups I are placed upon the supports 43 by an operator. The other end of the cover 66 is situated close to the location 68 wherein a third burner 30 and the plunger 26 are located.

The plunger 26 is firmly held in the holder or guided by sleeves I0 and TI. The plunger 26 turns in the course of its reciprocatory movement due to the provision of a helical groove I2 and a pin I3 situated in that groove. The pin 13 is carried by the sleeve II while the groove 12 is formed in the rod 21.

A vertical column or stand I4 is carried by a base 15 and carries arms I6 and I! which are integral with the sleeves I0 and II, respectively.

The upper end of the rod 21 is connected .to an end of a horizontal arm 18 by means of collars i9. and 30 which are firmly connected to the rod 21'. ,The other end of the arm 18 is keyed upon the upper end of a vertical rod BI which extends through openings provided in the-arms I6 and Ti. The rod 8I reciprocates vertically and is returned to the position shown in Figure 2 by a coiled spring 82 which surrounds the rod 8I and which is situated between the arms I6 and IT. The upper end of the spring 82 presses against a stop or collar 83 which is keyed upon the rod 8L. The other end of the spring. 82 is in engagement with the arm I6.

A pin 84 is carried by the rod 8i close to its lower end and extends through a slot 85 provided in one end of an angular crank lever 86. The crank lever 86 is pivoted at 8'! to a bracket 88 which is firmly connected with a sleeve 89 mounted upon the stand 74.

The other end of the crank lever 86 is connected by a pivot or pin 90 to one end of a connecting rod 9|. The other end of the rod 9Iis connected by a pivot 92 to one end of a cam lever 93 which is pivoted at 84 and which carries a roller 95. The roller 95 is in engagement with a cam 96 keyed upon a shaft 91. The shaft 91 is situated in the gear reduction unit 56 and is driven from the main shaft 54. The continuously rotating cam 96 swings periodically the cam lever 93 which moves the crank lever 86 to the position shown by broken lines in Figure 2, thereby moving downwardly the rod 8I connected with the holder 21. The spring 82 returns the various parts back to the original position as soon as the actuating surface of the cam is moved away from the roller 85.

The flame 25 of the burner should be withdrawn at the time when the plunger 26 forms the tip 28.

For this purpose, the burner 30 carries a pivot 98 which is mounted in an upright or bracket 99.- The burner 30 also carries an elongated plate' or. lever I80 the outer end of which is situated directly below the rod 81. The rod 8| in the course of its downward movement will push the lever I00 downwardly and thereby swing or tilt the burner 30. V

. The burner 30 is maintained for a while in the tilted position after the withdrawal of the rod 8I due to the provision of a hook IOI which engages the upper surface of the lever I00 in the depressed position of the latter. The hook IIH is integral or firmly connectedwith a resilient upwardly extending rod I02 the lower end of which is carried by a bracket I03 which is connected to the upright 99. As shown in Figure 1, the resilient rod I021 has an upper end which is engaged by an edge of a support 43 and is pressed outwardly by it in the course of the turning movement of the support. Then the rod 21 which moves down and up and which is hook MI is moved out of engagement with the lever I00, thereby freeing the burner 30. A pipe I20 which supplies gas and air to the burner 30 is of such weight that it will cause a movement of the burner back to its upright position as soon as the lever I00 is freed.

As soon as a support 43 is moved out of engagement with the resilient rod )2, the rod I02 will return to its original position in which the hook IOI is situated in the path of the lever I00.

An annealing cover I04 having the form of a half ring, extends over the cups I5 between the I locations .61 and 68. The cover I04 is supported by legs I05. The purpose of the cover I04 is to prevent a rapid escape of heat and thereby provide for a uniform annealing of the cups I5 traveling under the cover I04. H

The machine is operated as follows:

When the motor is started, its rotation will be transmitted by the belt 52 and the pulley 53 to the shaft 54, the gears in the gear unit 56 and the shaft 55 carrying the arm 51. The arm 51 will strike the fins 59 in turn in the course of its rotation,ithereby moving stepwise theshaft 4I carrying the disc 40 and the supports 43. The rod I01 engaging the notches I06 of the disc 40 regulates the proper extent of the stepwise motion.

An operator is situated at the location 67 between the covers I04 and 56; he removes a treated cup as it emerges from the cover I04 and inserts in its place upon the disc 23 of a support 43 a cup I5. In the course of the continued stepwise movement of the supports 43 this cup will travel under the cover until it reaches the location 2I where it is preheated by the burner 62-. The next step will bring the cup to the location 22 where it is subjected to a second preheating by the burner 64. Then the cup is moved to the location 68 where it is heated by the burner 30.

In the meantime, the gears in the gear unit 55 turn the cam shaft 9'! carrying the cam 96. While a cup I5 is situated in the location 68, the cam 96 will swing the lever 93 which is connected by the rod 5| with the crank lever 86. The lever 86 will move downwardly the rod BI and the rod 21 connected therewith, compressing the spring 82. The rod 2'! carrying the plunger 26 turns as it moves downwardly, due to the provision of a pin '13 engaging the spiral groove 12.

The rod 8! will strike the lever I and thereby swing the burner 30 away from the cup I5. The hook I M will engage the lever I00 and thus maintain the burner 30 for a while in the inclined position.

In the meantime, the plunger 26 will engage the bottom of the cup I5 and will form the tip 28 in the cup.

As soon as the cam 96 ceases to exert pressure upon the lever 93, the spring 82 will expand and move upwardly the rods 8i and 21, thereby returning the crank lever 86, the rod 9| and the lever 93 to their original positions. The upward movement of the rod 8! is stopped by the engagement of the ring 83 with the arm TI.

I When the stepwise turning movement of the supports 43 is resumed, an edge of the support 43 situated at the location 68 will bend the resilient rod I02, thereby withdrawing the hook IOI from engagement with the lever (00. The weight of the pipe I20 will then move the burner 30 back to its vertical position.

A cup leaving the location 68 will travel under the cover I04 and will be thoroughly annealed in the course of its movement. The cup is re'- moved by the operator stationed at the location 61.

It is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction, as the same may be modified without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.

This application is a division of my co-pending patent application, Serial No. 467,697, filed December 3, 1942, now Patent No. 2,385,071, issued September 18, 1945.

What is claimed is:

1. In the manufacture of levels and other glass containers for fluids, a machine comprising a plurality of supports for the containers, each support having a guiding opening formed therethrough, a carrier for the supports, means intermittently moving the carrier, at least one source of heat situated in the path of movement of the container-carrying supports, a reciprocal plunger situated substantially close to the source of heat and adapted to form a projecting tip in the container in. coaction with the guiding opening through the support, means connected with the means intermittently moving the carrier for operating the plunger, and means actuated by the plunger operating means for removing the source of heat while the tip is being formed.

2. In the manufacture of levels and other glass containers for fluids, a machine comprising a plurality of supports for the containers, each support having a guiding opening formed therethrough, a carrier for the supports, means intermittently moving the carrier, two sources of heat situated one after the other in the path of movement of the container-carrying supports, a third source of heat situated in the path of movement, a reciprocal plunger situated substantially close to the third source of heat and adapted to form a projecting tip in the container in coaction with the guiding opening through the support, means connected with the means intermittently moving the carrier for operating the plunger, and means actuated by the plunger operating means for removing the source of heat while the tip is being formed.

3. In the manufacture of levels and other glass containers for fluids, a machine comprising a rotary disc, a plurality of radial supports having inner ends carried by the disc and outer ends adapted to carry glass containers, a guiding opening through each of the outer ends, means for intermittently turning the disc, heating means situated in the path of movement of the glass containers, a cover extending over the heating means, a reciprocal plunger situated substantially close to the heating means and adapted to form a projecting tip in the container in coaction with the guiding opening through the support, means connected with the means intermittently moving the disc for operating the plunger, and an annealing cover extending over the path of movement of the glass containers carrying the projecting tips.

4. A machine according to claim 3 in which the means for intermittently turning the disc comprises a shaft for the disc, a plate carried by the shaft, a plurality of radial fins carried by the plate, and a rotary arm having an end adapted to engage the fins one after the other whereby a stepwise turning movement is imparted to the shaft.

5. A machine according to claim 3 in which the outer end of each support has a central opening formed therein, the opening being recessed to constitute a seat and further having a plurality of ventilating openings circularly formed therein about the central opening, a refractory disc for the seat, the disc having a central guiding opening formed therethrough and adapted to coact with the plunger, and a cover enclosing the edges of the disc, the cover having a central opening formed therein and adapted to receive a glass container.

6. In the manufacture of levels and other glass containers for fluids, a machine comprising a rotary disc, a plurality of radial supports having inn r ends carried by the disc and outer ends adapted to carry glass containers, a guiding opening through each of the outer ends, means for intermittently turning the disc, a heat-generating burner situated in the path of movement of the glass containers, a plunger situated substantially close to the burner, means reciprocating the plunger and adapted to form a projecting tip in the container in coaction with the guiding opening through the support, said means comprising a holder carrying the plunger, a rod extending parallel to the holder, an arm interconnecting the holder and rod, guides for the holder and rod and adapted to maintain the holder and rod slidable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the supports, a stand for the guides, means maintaining the holder and rod normally at the top of the guides under tension, a swingable crank lever having one end pivotally connected to the free end of the rod, a connecting rod having one end pivotally connected to the free end of the crank lever, a cam lever having one end pivotally connected to the free end of the connecting rod, and a cam driven by the means intermittently rotating the disc and actuating the cam lever when the guiding opening through a support is aligned with the plunger; the machine further comprising a pivot carried by the burner, a support carrying the pivot, an arm carried by the burner and engaged by the rod during its downward movement to swing the burner from its position, and means locking the burner in an inclined position while the projecting tip is being formed by the plunger.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which the means locking the burner in an inclined position comprises a resilient arm, a hook carried by the arm and adapted to engage the arm carried by the burner in its inclined position to lock the burner, the resilient arm having an end engaged and moved by the radial supports in the course of their intermittent movement to free the hook from engagement with the arm carried by the burner.

JAMES GEIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Casler et a1 Sept. 23, 1947 

